I was testing cars at kennedy space center's shuttle landing runway this week was able to see much more of what goes on there than I ever expected.
I think the government is making a huge mistake taking apart an already functional infrastructure and putting obstacles (sometimes just not allowing at all) the facility to embrace commercial alternatives to the government contracts that keep them busy.
There are many industries that can benefit from what NASA has assembled there that would negate the need for any government funding at all............if the powers that be actually allowed access to the amazing technology and the fact that there is a dense concentration of very skilled people in one small area.
While I was there, I saw none of the waste I have seen at other goverment controlled facilities but quite the opposite in that I saw old technology skillfully maintained far beyond it's expected life span and creative alternative uses of materials that are no longer needed for thier original purpose.
If anything, the government should use this facility as an example to show other wasteful agencies how to reach the same level of efficiency and stop the wasting.........which would free up more than enough funds to keep Kennedy Space Center running.
History has shown over and over that the government cancels projects only to have a need arise for exactly what they had canceled causing a scramble as they spend 10 times the money of the original canceled project budget and end up with a substantially lower return on the investment.
That said, it was fun booming fast cars down the runway and getting visits by many of the higher managers (and other employees) there who are dedicated to high performance vehicles whether space driven or the 4 wheeled variety.
Kennedy Space Center and the other facilities/contractors are a fighting force of extraordinary magnitude.....they have our gratitude.